Pizarro: Santa Clara University puts spotlight on social enterprise

By Sal Pizarro spizarro@mercurynews.com

Posted:
05/19/2014 03:03:14 PM PDT

Updated:
05/19/2014 06:32:40 PM PDT

Skoll Foundation CEO Sally Osberg and Graham MacMillan, senior program director for the Citi Foundation, were presented with the first Magis Global Changemaker awards at a benefit dinner Sunday for Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology and Society.

Nearly 300 people attended the event at SCU's Locatelli Center and perused displays that highlighted the various projects under the umbrella of the Global Social Benefit Institute, the primary program of CSTS, which supports social entrepreneurs who use Silicon Valley innovations to improve the lives of the poor in countries around the world. The projects are both small and large, ranging from helping African women start their own clean water and sanitation programs to making and distributing solar light bulbs for places without electricity.

In addition to the honorees, guests heard from event chairs Maria and Wim Roelandts; SCU President the Rev. Michael Engh; Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; the Rev. Michael McCarthy, executive director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education; the Rev. Michael Garanzini, president of Loyola University Chicago; Jim Koch, founding director of the Center for Science, Technology and Society; and Thane Kreiner, the center's executive director.

RUNNING START: The elementary school students at Casa de Mir Montessori in Campbell went through a real exercise in philanthropy by taking part in a Jog-a-Thon fundraiser at the Campbell Community Center on April 30. The school of 137 students made it a total of 1,680 laps -- that's 420 miles or far enough to make it from San Francisco to Disneyland.

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The kids aren't using the money they raised for a trip of their own, though, but are paying it forward by giving the proceeds to charity. The students raised a little more than $5,800 and with some additional donations, they were able to give $3,000 checks to the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley and Hope Services at the school on Friday.

DINING FOR A CAUSE: San Jose's Bold Knight Bistro at 840 N. First St. just celebrated its first anniversary under the ownership of Jaime and Graciela Armas, who also own Las Cazuelas on Race Street. And the Armas family appears to be continuing the community goodwill that the Pappas family was known for when they owned the famous Bold Knight.

Rigo Chacon tells me that on Thursday, the Armas family will be donating dinner proceeds to his scholarship program, Abrazos and Books.